Appalling behaviour on London’s Tube

By M.D.

WITH 1.4bn passengers annually, the London Underground is one of the world’s busiest transport systems. It is also one of the most crowded, sometimes producing an element of friction among commuters over small acts of inconsideration. This week YouGov released the results of a survey of the things that most wind up passengers as they scurry around the Tube. Impatient commuters pushing to get into the carriage without letting riders off first are what drives people mad the most.

The survey also revealed some interesting differences when broken down by gender: “manspreading” (unfurling one’s legs wide enough to take up unnecessary room) and being stared at are much more unpopular with women than with men, as is drunken behaviour. There is also a class divide in attitudes to certain behaviour. Richer people are less tolerant of dawdling at the ticket barrier, people who stand on the left side of the escalator (which is meant to be kept clear so others can walk on the left) and of music being played loudly from a device.

The rude behaviour of New Yorkers on the subway was surveyed by YouGov two years ago. Pushing into a subway car without letting others off again topped the list of grievances, but panhandling ranked second (which was not listed in the London study). Manspreading wasn’t mentioned specifically, but spreading out across multiple seats was the third top pet hate. Still, Dennis Green, an American journalist, caused a bit of a stir on Twitter recently when he wrote a column describing London’s Underground as a “transportation paradise”, especially compared with the “crumbling infrastructure” of New York’s system.

In London, when given only one option, most people say that refusing to give up a seat—for pregnant women, the elderly or disabled—is the most unacceptable conduct on the Tube. In New York, that transgression came way down the ranking, perhaps proving that, despite popular perceptions, Londoners do retain an element of courtesy towards their fellow travellers.